WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈
Chapter 47: Lakeside (2)
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I hadn't encountered any dangerous animals while following the river downstream.
Rivers usually attracted all kinds of animals, but maybe the current was too strong, or maybe it was because of the Golden Frog. Either way, I didn't see any.
That didn't mean I hadn't encountered animals at all. I ran into smaller ones from time to time.
[Post title] This is a lizard, right?
[Author] Wild Grylls
[Post] (A fucking huge lizard photo)
[Post] What species is this? It's huge.
Small only by the Forest of Four Seasons' standards, of course.
The lizard had bolted the moment it saw me.
It was nice not having to fight, but I was still curious, so I asked the Gallery.
└ [Heavenly Demon]: That's an enormous lizard. Why not catch it and eat it?
└ [Wild Grylls]: Good idea, but it ran away.
└ [Heavenly Demon]: Hm. It must have instinctively fled after realizing how strong you are.
└ [Wild Grylls]: I don't think that was it lol;;
└ [Allfather]: Judging by its appearance, it is an iguana. It seems to have grown quite large in the Forest of Four Seasons.
└ [Wild Grylls]: Is it a herbivore?
└ [Allfather]: Yes. Since it is a herbivore, you needn't be wary of it. Still, be careful. Its size is no joke.
└ [Wild Grylls]: How does it taste?
└ [Allfather]: It should taste like ordinary meat.
What a waste. I should've caught it instead of taking a picture.
But no matter how quickly regret comes, it always comes too late. Leaving my disappointment behind, I continued onward.
Trickle, trickle.
As I followed the river, the current gradually slowed.
The river had also grown considerably wider. This had to be the lower reaches.
There hadn't been any warped spaces or sudden environmental changes along the way.
Bzzzzzz.
Instead, a giant mosquito was flying around.
At first, I thought my sense of distance was off.
But when it threatened me with its pointed proboscis, I realized it was a monster.
Clang!
I barely blocked it with my shield.
The Golden Shield had been dented by the Muscle Mushroom, but it still came in handy.
The instant I blocked it, I drew the sword hanging from my left hip.
Slash!
I swung at the mosquito, which was as large as my head.
Because of its size, it split cleanly in two.
Watching it twitch on the ground left me dumbfounded.
‘Did I get dropped into a dark fantasy world?’
I shook my head. It was better to believe the forest was just weird.
But there was something that worried me. That giant mosquito.
Then what about bees? How large would bees be, considering how they formed massive colonies?
Just imagining head-sized bees attacking in a swarm was horrifying.
‘Thank God there aren't any beehives near the cave.’
With that thought, I passed the mosquito corpse.
A few steps later, I heard a rustling sound behind me.
I couldn't help reacting to even the smallest sounds, so I spun around in alarm.
I didn't forget to raise my shield as I turned.
Scamper!
The iguana I'd seen earlier was running off with the mosquito corpse in its mouth.
I stared blankly at the thing fleeing at incredible speed.
This was not a place anyone could get used to.
‘There must be things even stranger than that, right?’
How much more bizarre could it get? I could hardly wait.
I silently followed the river, holding my sword so I could strike back immediately.
How long had I walked along the river? It felt like an hour, but nothing particularly caught my eye.
Splash!
The only notable thing was the fish. Every so often, a large fish leaped out of the water.
Maybe I was imagining it, but they looked much bigger than the ones I'd caught.
This was the lower reaches, not the fast-flowing upper river. There had to be more fish living here.
‘Maybe I could set up a Fish Trap here...’
Splaash!
That was when something rose from the lower river, just as I was considering it.
It was a little too small to call a whale, and far too big to call a fish.
The sight of its jet-black body was overwhelmingly menacing.
Splash!
The massive body plunged back into the river, sending a spray of water soaring into the air.
I could only stare at the sight blankly.
‘...Do whales live in rivers?’
The urge to head back immediately surged up inside me.
I could deal with most beasts, but I definitely couldn't catch that thing.
Still, I wanted to see where the river ended, so I couldn't give up.
After continuing downstream in tense silence...
“Ha. F*ck.”
A sound rose from the depths of my chest.
It was closer to a sigh that escaped because I was too speechless to hold it in.
“Is this the sea or a lake?”
At the end of the river stretched a vast lake.
Though calling it a lake was questionable, since it was incredibly shallow.
The water was so clear that I could see the bottom perfectly.
‘It's like someone stamped a big “You're not getting out” on this place.’
My spirits gradually sank. I let out a sigh and made a post on the Gallery.
I was feeling down, so I wanted to post something and see how people reacted.
[Post title] Found a pretty lake
[Author] Wild Grylls
[Post] (A photo of a vast lake)
[Post] Followed the river and found a lake. Pretty, right?
[Post] How am I supposed to escape? Hahahaha
└ [Heavenly Demon]: What a beautiful view. I would like to take a little boat out and recite a poem.
└ [Wild Grylls]: Ma'am?
└ [Heavenly Demon]: Is there a problem?
└ [SwordTasteMaster]: Read the room. Do you think Grylls has the spare time to go boating?
└ [Heavenly Demon]: Hm. That is true. This lady apologizes. The beautiful scenery must have briefly taken my breath away.
└ [Wild Grylls]: No, it's fine. It happens...
└ But it really is pretty lol
└ I wanna paint that.
└ Lots of rocks in the lake.
└ It looks really shallow too?
└ Hey. What's that faint thing at the far end? It looks fucking huge.
└ Isn't it just a rock?
└ Grylls, it's hot out. Go for a refreshing dive.
└ [Wild Grylls]: It's shallow. I'd crack my head open if I dove;;
└ It's a lake but it's shallow? Is it actually a lake?
└ [Wild Grylls]: I don't know either. It's too wide to be a pond, but too shallow to be a lake.
└ Usually, that'd be a swamp.
└ [Wild Grylls]: There are lots of pebbles too, so it isn't a swamp.
└ [Passing Dwarf]: Are your shoes any good? Military boots seem mandatory if you want to get through there.
└ [Wild Grylls]: That's what I'm thinking about. I wanted to ask you, but I feel like I've relied on you too much, so I'll ask someone else.
└ [Passing Dwarf]: Yeah, I'm not confident about shoes either. Other dwarves might be different, but there are probably lots of humans better than me at making them.
└ [Wild Grylls]: I'll have to get a pair of shoes eventually.
Come to think of it, I'd been focused on getting clothes while neglecting shoes.
Shoes were incredibly important for someone who had to walk long distances.
I wanted to ask the dwarf, but as I'd said myself, I felt like I depended on them too much, so I passed.
The dwarf also advised me to ask someone else about shoes.
‘I thought I'd only wear military boots as a reservist.’
Who knew I'd come here and start looking for military boots? Life was unpredictable.
Still, military boots aside, waterproofing was more important right now.
Wearing wet shoes for an extended period would make me sick, and my skin would get all swollen.
‘There's no rubber in the Auction House... Should I just put up with it for today?’
I debated whether to endure it for just one day or turn back now.
It would be fine to return, but something about it felt disappointing.
I hadn't even reached a dead end. I couldn't give up this quickly.
‘Right. I could make a boat, so let's investigate a little more.’
If the water got even a little deeper, I'd return immediately.
I nodded and moved through the shallowest areas I could find.
It felt like I was circling the lakeshore, but I still made progress.
‘If I keep going this way, I might be able to get past the lake.’
It looked like I could reach the other side without needing a boat.
There were puddles here and there, though, so getting my shoes wet was unavoidable.
I was walking while keeping an eye on my surroundings when...
“Grrrulk.”
“Grrulk. Grrulk.”
“Huh?”
I heard a strange sound. It came from directly ahead.
Looking forward, I saw several large rocks huddled together.
It didn't take long to realize they weren't rocks, but living creatures.
‘Crabs? Why are there crabs here?’
They were crabs. Crabs that walked sideways.
They were much bigger than lobsters, too. About as large as my upper body.
The crabs wiggled their antenna-like eyes and moved their claws. I cautiously approached.
Even when I got closer, they showed no wariness and kept moving their claws.
“...Fish?”
It was fish. The crabs were eating fish carcasses.
I'd vaguely heard that crabs acted as scavengers.
Still, that didn't explain why fish carcasses were here.
‘The water's too shallow to swim in. Were they just unlucky?’
First, I should take a picture and find out what species they were.
I photographed the crabs enjoying their meal and posted it on the Gallery.
[Post title] Anyone know what species this is?
[Post] (A photo of crabs enjoying a meal)
[Post] I'm walking around the lakeshore and watching these crabs eat.
[Post] They're about as big as my torso. Anyone know what species they are?
└ Crabs live in lakes too?
└ Yeah, they're adaptation masters. They live anywhere there's water.
└ I hear crabs are delicious.
└ They look ordinary. You could probably grill them?
└ [Allfather]: They are edible Gaffers Crabs. They are normally only as large as a fist.
└ [Wild Grylls]: Don't they have parasites or anything?
└ [Allfather]: Nothing survives fire.
So as long as I didn't eat them raw, I would be fine. That was satisfying.
I could take one of these guys with me when I went back.
‘Their shells aren't hard, are they?’
Just in case, I stabbed one with Heavenly Demon’s Sword.
Crunch!
Its shell was pierced clean through with a satisfying sound.
The crab with the pierced shell flailed its claws and legs.
The other crabs didn't care whether one of their own died or not. They were too busy eating the fish.
‘As expected of Heavenly Demon’s Sword. I shouldn't doubt it.’
I shook my sword and tossed the crab off.
The crab with the pierced shell flipped onto its back and trembled for a while.
But I only felt sorry for it briefly.
“Grrrulk.”
“Grrulk. Grrulk.”
Crabs gradually gathered from elsewhere. They headed toward the crab with the punctured shell.
I stayed still and watched to see what they would do.
Before long, the other crabs surrounding it raised their huge claws.
Crunch! Crack!
They brought their claws down on their overturned companion.
Its shell shattered a little more with every strike.
Eventually, the crab stopped trembling altogether. It had died.
The dead crab became a meal for its own kind.
“...”
Nature really was cruel. I shook my head and started walking again.
Countless crabs lived along the lakeshore. Almost all of them looked the same.
Normally, lakes were home to a variety of life, so I couldn't help wondering.
‘How did crabs take over the lakeshore?’
Their claws were powerful, but they were still weak creatures in the end.
With that question in mind, I came face-to-face with a strange rock. It was much bigger than I was.
It was a little odd for a rock to be sticking out of nowhere, but I could just walk around it.
“Grrulk.”
“Huh?”
Then the rock made a strange sound. It was the same sound the crabs had made earlier.
Puzzled, I stared at the rock.
Rumble...
With a slight tremor, several legs suddenly sprang out from beneath the rock.
Gigantic claws appeared on either side.
The rock had already been large, but it grew far bigger than before.
So large that I had to tilt my head all the way back to see the top.
“Grrulk. Grrrulk.”
“...”
Its antenna-like eyes stared straight at me.
I had no choice but to slowly back away.
The rock, no, the giant crab watched me for a while, then moved its legs with a clatter.
Thankfully, it didn't approach me. It turned its body instead. It seemed to have taken an interest in me.
‘...Wait a second.’
Don't crabs move sideways?
The moment that thought occurred to me...
Whoosh!
A giant claw dropped toward my head.
Like I said, crabs were scavengers.
Boom!
“Argh!”
Which meant they were omnivores.
Footnotes:
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